Wisher
by Clockwork-Spirit
Summary: When Rogue buys a necklace from a mysterious peddler, her world is turned upside down. Her friends shun her, her enemies ignore her and her powers leave her. Left powerless, will she be able to help her beloved ones when a new enemy arises?
1. The Golden Woman

**Disclaimer: **I do not own X-Men: Evolution characters. They are the rightful property of Marvel.

**Forehand: **Well, here it is. The first chapter to _Wisher_. I decided to write this off of a whim and while I'm not a big fan of fan fictions, I found it necessary to share this story. Its been a long time since I've written anything by myself (with out co-authors) so please read it with kind eyes. Its been awhile since I've been able to watch an episode of X-Men Evolution, so forgive the lack of details. The story will pick up tremendously in the second chapter.

_**Wisher**_

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Her breath was ripped from her chest in ragged gasps as beads of sweat poured down her face. Her whole body was shaking and every muscle was tense with anticipation and fear as her eyes darted back and forth across the landscape in front of her. Her ball gown was in shreds, barely hanging off her slender shoulders, heavily weighed down by thick mud churned up by her heels and the freezing rain. With her back pressed against the cold stone wall, she felt no reprieve or sense of safety come. He was out there and you could sense the gripping terror by a mere look in her eyes. Her lovely hair had long since fallen from its elegant bun into a mess of fear crazed knots and curls that hung sloppily about her neck and shoulders. The cold and driving rain pounded against her soft peach flesh, driving the cold into her body deeper and deeper the longer she stood there. But she could not bring the courage forth to run. But she knew she had to run. _He_ was after her. _He _would find her; and _He _would kill her. She had to find a way out of this cemetery, she just had to! If she didn't, _He _will find her and take her. With one last pained suction of air into her lungs, the girl darted forward from the wall and out onto the dark overgrown pathway that twist and turned through the graves like a maze. She ran as fast as she could, but the high heels she had chosen for tonight's dance were being more of a nuisance, getting stuck in the mud every other step. But she couldn't stop, not now. But luck was not on the girl's side. With a loud _snap_, the girl felt her left foot give out under her and she toppled into the mud. The rain pelted her from above as she glanced over her shoulder, looking at the broken heel stuck in the mud. Turning her head to the front, her eyes flew open in sheer terror.

"Noooo!" The girl screamed with all her might as she struggled to her to her feet. But even before she could stand, he was upon her. His cold and heavy breath blew into her face as his impossibly strong hands gripped her around the shoulders, holding her upright. Her fear was so strong now, she couldn't stand. Had it not been for _His_ hands, she would have fallen again. A twisted smile grew across _His _face as he opened his mouth wide, his fangs lowering as he aimed for her supple neck. But no matter how hard she screamed and kicked, she could not get away from her captor.

And then the screen faded to black as two huge words formed on the screen, the font a blood red color and dripping from the letters like slime; _Crimson Night._ Then, as quickly as it had come, the movie trailer was quickly replaced by an overly perky brunette woman with a sheet of paper in her hands, her perfect blue suit pressed and starched.

"And welcome back to the…" The rest of the announcement faded into the dull background noise of the street as Rogue's attention was quickly lost by the return to the perky girl's talk show. For a moment, she cast her eyes quickly about the street, then slipped into the slowly moving crowd, adjusting the straps of her backpack for a more comfortable position. _I'm sure glad I opted to walk instead of drive'n with Scott 'n the rest,_ Rogue thought to herself. A white puff of air sifted from underneath her scarf where her nose and mouth were hidden. Bayville was currently in the grips of a nasty cold weather front that hadn't lifted for days. The roads were icy and the wind brought with it a brutal piercing cold. It was certainly unseasonal and unusual, but Rogue found it to be a minor blessing. With cold weather comes winter clothing. With winter clothing comes layers. And with layers comes protection. Protection from the cold, protection for Rogue and protection for others _from_ Rogue. This meant freedom. Freedom to walk around without having to make sure her hands were concealed and skin was covered while everyone else walked in t-shirts and shorts. With the cold weather came the realization that Rogue could walk around without constantly being worried about touching people or people touching her.

It was this thought and another that made Rogue choose to walk back to the Institute instead of riding back with Scott and the others.

Looking both ways before walking out into the stopped traffic, Rogue headed to the other side of the street, her hands stuffed into her pockets. It was kind of nice to be able to walk about downtown Bayville without worrying about someone touching her or bumping into her by accident, even if she didn't particularly like the city or its inhabitants. While she and her fellow mutants were still recovering from being discovered by the populace, Rogue still felt she had a right to enjoy the occasion without being persecuted. But for one day, one night, Rogue wasn't going to let that bother her. Instead, seeing that movie trailer had actually stirred up some sense of excitement. While she really wasn't one for the large crowds that came with major movie shows, she was kind of interested in seeing this flick. Of course, knowing gentle and wise Xavier, even if she wanted to go, there would always be some sort of special rule, like a buddy system or some retarded curfew that she would have to abide by if she were to go. _If so, I can just grab someone to come with me_, she thought to herself.

Her subconscious knew the way back to the Institute, so even if she was walking blindly, she could still probably find her way back. So walking deep in thought wasn't something new to her. But when something blinded her with a sharp, sudden flash of light, her thoughts were stopped and instead, her mouth opened in a growl of annoyance as her hand flew up to block the painful light from her eyes. When she could once again see, she noticed she was facing a brightly lit store window. Frowning, she winced as she struggled to focus on something that wouldn't completely render her blind. It was then her eyes traveled to the elegant and carefully painted logo on the window. The logo was huge, covering almost the whole window in bright golden letters that glittered. It was very loopy and girly looking, but the name that it spelled out was not so much; Caninex. Rogue paused, reading the great big loopy words, a frown on her face.

"Wha kind of name is that for a store?" She asked herself. As her eyes grew used to the brightly lit and golden hued store, she began to stare past the letters and at the wares that were being showcased in the window. She felt herself being drawn towards the windows as she released her hand from her pockets, carefully laying them on the glass as she examined the wares closer.

"Man…Ah've never seen anything like this before…" She muttered under her breath. The strange items ranged from large wooden statues carved into animal shapes to the prettiest golden rings. Blinking, Rogue dropped her hands from the window and backed up, examining the store as a whole now. It was definitely new, that much she knew. The owner must have just moved in. The whole store had an odd look to it. Exotic dried plants hung in the window along with what must have been artifacts from different countries. She could hear the faint sound of music being played inside the store, its subtle tones alluring and pleasing to the ears. For a moment, Rogue broke her concentration from the store to the digital wrist watch hidden under her jacket sleeve. Pulling up the thick fabric, she glanced at the digital numbers and bit her bottom lip as a new decision came to mind. She really wanted to go inside and see what kind of things this store offered, but she needed to get back to the Institute soon before everyone started worrying. Pulling her sleeve back over the watch, she looked up at the store once more. Then, as if to push her along, a sharp and cold breeze bellowed through the streets. Rogue winced against the cold and pulled up the collar of her jacket before decided to take shelter in the golden and glowing store. _Besides, I never get to shop alone. I always gotta bring someone with me and knowing those guys, no one would even want to step foot in here,_ she assured herself before allowing her hand to push against the heavy wooden door.

Immediately, Rogue's senses were slammed by the pungent smell of incense and a blast of warm air. The inside of the store was so warm, almost too warm, as Rogue ventured in further, allowing the door to close behind her with a gentle _tinkling_ of a bell. She was greeted not only with the overwhelming scent of lavender and redwood, but also a visual kaleidoscope of art and wares that were completely foreign to her. It was like walking into a whole new country. The ethnic music was still playing and as Rogue continued to listen to it, she could only guess as to what culture it belonged to. The beats were heavy with drums and although it sounded faintly familiar, she was too focused on the odd things for sale in the store to pay attention. The faintest hint of a smile crossed her dark, full lips as she wandered to a counter displaying jewelry. Her eyes quickly went from one thing to another until her attention was caught by the most beautiful pendant. Immediately she reached for it, her right hand closing over the pendant and plucking it from its velvet pedestal. Opening her hand, she brought it closer to her face to inspect it. With one finger, she traced out the figure, her finger finding the shape relatively dog-like. It was gold and barely twice the size of a grape, the creature caught in a perpetual stance of movement. The creature looked as if it were running, its head barely turned so that both eyes of amber stared back at Rogue. She wasn't quite sure what drew her to this pendant, but she found it so fascinating and beautiful. The small smile widened as she held it so gingerly in both hands.

"Ah, yes, what a wonderful pendant, no?" The deep and sultry voice startled Rogue so badly, she nearly dropped the pendant. Grasping it in her fist, she quickly turned around, a frown replacing her smile. Her gray eyes frowned at the woman before her. _Where did she come from? I didn't even hear her…_Rogue wondered. The woman in front of her smiled with full and plump pink lips. Her skin was a dark brown, even darker than Ororo's. And yet, it had a golden hue to it, much like everything else in this store. Her thick and coarse hair was rolled into long dreadlocks that were pinned up at the top of her head and then left to hang loosely at hip level. Her crimson hair contrasted with the rich darkness of her skin, emphasizing her blood red eyes. She had a full figure; large breasts and big round hips, but she was about Rogue's height. Around her neck and wrists hung thick golden ringlets, small golden beads also residing in her hair. Resting on her high cheeks were three beauty marks all in a perfect line. She smelled heavily of dried grass and earth. For a moment, Rogue was taken back by the appearance of this woman. Then she remembered the words spoken to her. She blinked and brought her hand forward, slowly opening her fist to reveal the pendant in her palm. The strange woman smiled brightly at Rogue, not even looking down at the pendant.

"Do you like it?" Rogue blinked, moving her lips to speak, but no sound escaping.

"Do you like the pendant?" Rogue couldn't make words come from her mouth, so she settled with a dumb nod of her head. The woman nodded approvingly, then gingerly plucked the pendant from Rogue's gloved hand.

"Mmm, yes. Dis is a wonderful pendant indeed. You picked out a good one. Or did…da pendant pick you?" The woman's question caught Rogue off guard. She frowned, her manners forgotten.

"What do ya mean? It's a piece of fake gold jewelry! Ah was just look'n at it. Ah ain't buy'n it," Rogue retorted, shoving her hands behind her back. The woman raised a dark brow, then chuckled and turned her back on Rogue.

"No need to get so hostile me leveret. I was merely ask'n a question. 'Sides, I know you're buying it. I could tell da minute you picked it up, leveret." Rogue watched as the woman moved behind a curtain to the far side of the store and then reappeared at the purchase counter. Rogue wasn't sure if she should feel insulted or worried that this woman was already charging her for the pedant. Of course, Rogue wasn't really stopping her either. She really did want that pendant, but the woman was giving off a weird vibe. It made her uncomfortable. Stepping forward, Rogue slowly made her way to the counter, her lips pressed tightly together and a frown on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ah said ah ain't buying it!" Rogue growled. The woman stood there, the pendant still in one hand as the other reached for the cash register. For a moment, the woman and Rogue stared at each other intently, then the woman chuckled and placed the pendant on the counter carefully as she leaned on it. She smiled and motioned for Rogue to come closer, but Rogue deepened her frown instead, firmly planting her feet.

"You're not very trusting of people, are ya my leveret?"

"No ah ain't and stop calling me a lev-er-rat or whatever it is," she scowled back. The woman chuckled again.

"A leveret, young one, is a baby rabbit. It's not healthy for a good your age to be so volatile against strangers," the woman cooed, plucking a golden chain from one of her displays. She strung the pendant onto the chain and held up absent mindedly. For a long time, Rogue and the woman stood there in an uncomfortable silence. Then Rogue broke the silence by crossing her arms over her chest and looking off to the side.

"So…uh, yer new here, huh?" Rogue asked, wishing for anything to break this silence. The woman nodded in reply.

"Yes. Just opened dis morning. You're my first customer, leveret."

"So, uh…what's yer name?"

"Heyoka, and yours?" At this, the woman once again disappeared behind a curtain, leaving Rogue there by herself. For a moment, Rogue paused, considering whither or not she should let this woman know her name.

"Uh, its Rogue," she said slowly. Heyoka came from behind the curtain she had gone through to get to the counter. She approached Rogue with the pendant now on the chain.

"Well ten Rogue, how do you like my store?" She asked, coming up to uncomfortable mutant teen. Rogue stared at her, then slowly parted her lips again.

"Its…different, but ah like it," she said. Heyoka smiled brightly and nodded.

"Why tank you. Odd places often attract odd people," she said. Rogue felt a small smile appear on her lips.

"Yeah, you've no idea how odd ah really am," Rogue said, her voice starting to lighten. Heyoka let out another chuckle as she reached forward to take a lock of Rogue's peculiar white streak amidst her burnt umber hair. She shifted it between her thumb and forefinger, giving it an adoring look then releasing it, seeing an embarrassed blush on Rogue's face.

"Well ten, we're more alike than you tink. But dis pendant really does suit you. You see, dis pendant is said to give its wearer good luck, especially in troubled times," Heyoka said as she reached forward, unclasping the necklace as she reached to place it around Rogue's neck. However, Rogue quickly reached up, grasping Heyoka's hands, looking at her apologetically.

"Sorry…ah…ah, let me do it. Ah go this…thing with people and mah skin…uh…condition…" Rogue stammered. Heyoka paused, then smiled and allowed Rogue to take the necklace. Rogue unbuttoned a few buttons from her coat and pulled the collar away so she could place the gold necklace around her neck. After a few moments, she dropped her hand and looked at the dog pendant hanging from her neck, a smile of admiration on her face. Heyoka clapped her hands together and smiled brightly.

"Ah! Dat suits you perfectly, leveret! You must see for yourself!" Heyoka chimed as she grabbed for a small handheld mirror and held it in front of Rogue. Rogue looked at herself and examined the necklace in the mirror, admiring its golden beauty.

"You know, its rumored that a necklace dis special _chooses_ its wearer. I tink this special charm has chosen you," the shop owner said excitedly. Rogue couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips as she continued to admire it. She felt so…good wearing this necklace. This feeling of euphoria; did Kitty feel the same way when she bought clothes or shoes? Or how about when Scott bought that hot rod car of his? Did everyone feel this attached to their material objects? Heyoka stole a peek over the mirror and smiled at Rogue.

"And since dis pendant chose you, I'll let you walk out of here for free!" This statement snapped Rogue out of her excitement and made her heart race.

"Are…are you serious? But…but ah don't think ah could accept a gift like this…" Rogue said, looking back at the pendant. Heyoka shook her head, the beads in her hair and the gold ringlets around her neck _clanking_ loudly.

"No, no! I'm totally serious. I could never ask someone like you to pay for dis pendant. After all, it chose you, remember?" Rogue looked at Heyoka uneasily for a moment, then veered right back to the pendant. She gently touched it with her hand, tracing the emerald eyes.

"Ah…uh…are you sure?" Heyoka took back the mirror and placed it on the counter, then gripped Rogue's shoulders and turned her towards the door.

"I'm very sure, leveret. Now you better be on your way, leveret," she said as she gave Rogue a gentle push towards the door. Rogue stumbled a few steps, then turned back to Heyoka, smiling sheepishly, another blush on her face.

"Ah, well, thanks then. Um…Ah guess Ah'll be seeing ya later then. Thanks again!" Rogue said, flipping up the collar on her jacket as she turned and left the shop. Heyoka watched as the girl stepped into the cold wind and started her way back. A twisted smile crossed her face.

"Good luck, my little leveret…"

"Kurt! Like, give that back!" Kitty cried with a clearly irritated tone. She thrust her hands on her hips, giving Kurt the most poisonous look she could muster. Her bright blue eyes burned in anger at the resident trickster who was currently preparing to divulge into a fresh sweet blueberry muffin which he had stolen from Kitty not mere seconds before. Kitty growled and stomped forward, storming her way towards Kurt who had taken to resting on a long lounge couch. He smirked playfully and sat up, holding out his blue hand towards her defensively.

"Hey now, Kitty, you ate the last three! This one is rightfully mine!" Kurt muttered, quickly leaping to his feet upon the couch cushions. Kitty frowned; she was not in the mood to deal with Kurt's antics. Without warning, she lunged at Kurt, aiming to grab his ankles and phase him into the piece of furniture. However, she misjudged the distance and instead of ramming into the furry mutant, she slammed into the couch, causing Kurt to loose his balance. Kurt gasped as he struggled to find his balance, his tail whipping back and forth. But with a yank of his tail, Kitty sent the blue teen careening off the back, resulting in the whole couch flipping over with a loud crash. Jean, who had been sitting in the same lounge room in a large comfy chair next to a large fireplace graced with a warm roaring fire, sighed loudly. She had been trying for hours now to get through the last few chapters of this book. But fate have it, the harder she tried to focus on it, the more distractions and noises arose. She closed her book with a slight snap and turned her head to the other side of the room where Kitty was struggling to get to her feet.

"Aww! Kitty, look! Now its all squished!" Kurt cried, standing up with the broken remains of the muffin in his hands. Kitty puffed out her chest, raising her chin defiantly.

"Well…well that's what you get! I was like, planning on eating that after dinner!" Kurt took an easy leap over the couch, coming face to face with Kitty.

"You're a glutton, Kitty!" Kurt hissed back. Kitty gasped, both hands rushing to her mouth. She turned quickly to Jean with a shocked face.

"Did you hear that Jean! Like, Kurt just called me fat!" She bellowed. Jean stared at her for a moment, her patience being tested. Jean reached up and pushed her long, thick red hair off her shoulders, crossing one leg over the other.

"Well, truthfully Kitty, that snow coat that you're wearing does make you look a little puffy," Jean said. Instead of being hurt, Kitty became defensive. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

"Well, its like totally freezing in here! You'd like think that the Professor would like totally turn on the heat or something," Kitty said. As Kurt began to pull crumbs from his hair, Jean let out a gentle sigh and turned her attention to the roaring fire.

"Well, you can thank some of the genius recruits who decided to plant a stink bomb in the heater system," Jean muttered. Jean had to admit, Kitty did look pretty funny. The poor girl did not take well to the cold, donning a large pink jacket that made her look twice her size. The bright purple snow pants and the large white puff balls that hung from her hood and her gloves just gave her an over all puffy look. Jean knew very well that it was cold in the Institute, everyone did. But no one dressed as ridiculously as Kitty.

"Ah! That's one good thing about being fuzzy! You never get cold!" Kurt chimed in. Kitty shot him a venomous look. Jean couldn't help snicker at that one. Kurt was lucky though, to be covered in hair at a time like this. In fact, he, Mr. McCoy, Bobby, and Rahne were about the only ones who were comfortable with this cold. Otherwise, this cold spell was more like a nightmare to the rest. It was too cold to go outside, so everyone who lived in the Institute was forced to stay inside. And even then, this lounge room was the only room in the mansion that had accessible heat. So, trying to cram all of the students of the Institute into this one room was like packing a sardine can with trout. Everyone was already on each others' nerves being in such close quarters. Of course, Kitty was the only one donning snow clothes.

Jean then looked to her partner in crime, sitting across from her in another large chair by the fire place. Scott looked back at her through his famous ruby sunglasses, shaking his head slightly with a smirk on his face. It was clear to Jean that Scott's focus on his homework had been broken.

"Well, it wouldn't be so bad if there was some snow to snowboard on, yeah?" Evan said as he walked into the room, looking extremely bored. Upon pass Kitty and Kurt, he didn't even bother to stifle his chuckle.

"I find a certain romantic quality in a cold day like this. Reading books, relaxing by the fire…its all so intimate," came the deep, handsome voice of Mr. McCoy. As he sauntered in, he paused by the over turned couch. With a disapproving shake of his head, he simply grabbed the couch and pulled it, setting it upright once more. Jean had a feeling this room was about to get even more crowded. Everyone was finishing their homework for the day and their rooms were too cold to stay in.

"Well, I think I'm done reading my book…" She muttered to herself. As the remaining students entered the warm lounge room, Scott finally got a chance to scan over the students. There was someone missing. Frowning, he stood up from his chair which was quickly commandeered by Jamie. He took a quick glance around the room, a frown forming on his face. Jean, noticing this, stood up, coming close to him.

"What's wrong Scott?"

"I don't see Rogue…"

"Could she be up in her room?"

"I…I don't know. I haven't seen her since she told me she was going to walk home," he confessed, looking back to Jean with a worried look. Suddenly, the smell of brimstone filled Jean and Scott's senses as Kurt _bamfed_ too close for comfort, his blue face and golden yellow eyes appearing much too close to theirs.

"Vat did you say? Rogue isn't home yet?" He asked with a tinge of worry in his voice. Even though it was only recently he had learned Rogue was his adopted sister, Kurt still felt that he had an obligation to worry. After all, with the world's discovery of the mutants, things were becoming increasingly dangerous for all mutants. They could only rely on each other and it seemed everyone had found someone in the mansion to rely on; except Rogue and Kurt. Evan had his Aunt Ororo, Kitty had Lance, Scott and Jean had each other, and the younger recruits still had family and friends that they trust. But for Kurt and Rogue, even with the comfort of the Xavier Institute, it seemed like they had no one to turn to. _But now, we have each other_, was Kurt's thoughts.

Scott coughed as Jean waved her hand through the smoke, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

"Kurt! Come on man; give us some breathing room would ya?" Scott muttered. Kurt took a few steps back, but his worried face still stared at them.

"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions. It's still light out and curfew is still a few hours away. If she was having problems, I'm sure the Professor would let us know," Jean said with a calming voice. Kurt stared at her for a few moments, and then decided she was probably right and nodded. Mr. McCoy sauntered up to the group and placed a large hand on Kurt's shoulder, smiling warmly.

"Don't worry son, I'm sure she'll show up soon. Now, if we're all going to continue to complain about the cold, I'm sure one of Logan's training sessions will heat us all right up! What do'ya say? Who would like me to arrange that?" Immediately, the lounge was full with the sounds of the students jabbing off some excuse for not being cold anymore, most just settling down to read or do the remnants of their homework.

It wasn't long before Rogue saw the large iron wrought gates leading into the Institute's courtyard. She was freezing, even with the large fleece jacket she had wrapped around her black turtleneck. She couldn't wait to get inside and drink something hot. As she passed through the gates, she noticed several lights already lighting up the windows to the newly rebuilt Xavier Institute. Even thought it was only around five, the cloud coverage made it appear darker than it really was. _And by the looks of it, it just might rain…_Rogue thought to herself as she quickly made her way across the courtyard. Taking the steps two at a time, she reached the door to the Institute and stopped. She could hear, even beyond the entry way, the level of noise indicating dinner. She smiled softly to herself before pushing open the door. As she walked in, she caught a quick glimpse of Bobby disappearing into the large dinning room. She had made it home just in time for dinner. Dropping her backpack and large coat by the stairway to the upper floors, she followed the young ice manipulating mutant into the dinning room. Most of the students were already seated and passing plates of food back and forth to each other. Professor Xavier, Ororo, Logan, and Mr. McCoy were seated as well. As Rogue entered, there were several hellos, or a lack thereof. But a heartfelt _"Welcome home, Rogue,"_ was received by none other than a mental greeting by Xavier. Immediately, Rogue's eyes went to the Professor who gave her a warm smile. She couldn't help but return it. _"Thanks Professor, at least someone cares,"_ she thought in reply. _"Oh, I'm sure the others were worried as well. Its just…a little loud right now," _he replied assuring. Rogue shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you gonna stand there all night, stripes, or are ya gonna sit?" Rogue turned to Logan who pulled out a chair next to him. Rogue paused, then made her way to the seat and sat.

After the dinning table was cleared of plates and food, most of the young recruits excused themselves to go do one thing or another while the others stayed behind to have meager conversations. Rogue sat there tracing the designs on the table cloth in boredom. It wasn't until she caught Kurt staring at her did she notice that the others had also turned their attention to her. She looked at them for a second, then frowned.

"What are ya'all starin' at?" Suddenly Kitty gasped, nearly leaping from her chair as she struggled to get a better closer look at Rogue from across the table.

"Rogue! That necklace is like, totally cute! Is that why you decided to walk home today?" She asked. Rogue suddenly found herself being the center of attention as the others all turned their attention to her. For a moment, Rogue couldn't find the words she needed.

"It looks like the Native American symbol for the coyote," Mr. McCoy said, looking at it from the far end of the table. Rogue blinked and nodded.

"Uh, yeah. That must be what it is," she said, looking down at the pendant.

"Ah bought it at this weird new store downtown this afternoon."

"It's a very pretty pendant. Did it cost you much?" Ororo asked. Rogue shook her head.

"Nah. The woman gave it to me free." Kurt frowned slightly.

"Vas she a mutant? Why would she give it to you for free?" Rogue shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable with all of the questions and attention now diverted to her.

"Ah dunno! She just insisted on givin' it to me." Xavier folded his fingers together for a moment, then smiled and opened his hands.

"Come now. Let's be thankful that there are still decent and good people out there who are willing to give things out for good charity. Rogue, is there anything else you've been needing to ask?" Rogue looked to him for a moment, then folded her arms over her chest. A small blush appeared on her pale face.

"Ah, yeah…in fact, there is. I uh…saw this movie trailer today and ah was think'n maybe someone could go with me to see it?" Xavier nodded slowly, closing his eyes.

"I don't see why not. Tomorrow is a Friday and Logan isn't planning on any training sessions until Saturday. Perhaps you could take her Scott?" He looked to the brown haired young man. Scott gave the Professor an apologetic look, then to Rogue.

"Aw, man. I'm sorry Rogue, but Jean and I were planning on going out tomorrow night," he said, looking at her. Rogue sighed. _Gee, how did I know that was coming?_ She thought. She glanced at Kitty, hoping maybe her previous room mate would be up to it.

"What about you, Kitty?" Kitty put her hands in her lap, raising her shoulders almost defensively.

"I'm like, totally sorry Rogue. But Lance and I were going to hang out…" Rogue could feel her irritation growing. She turned to look at Kurt. He gave her a sad look and Rogue's heart fell. Even though she could tell already what the answer would most likely be, she still had to try.

"Kurt?" He raised a hand to his head, itching the back of his skull, looking away.

"I'm sorry Rogue…I've got a mega paper to write…"

"But can't you just do it on Saturday or Sunday?" Kurt shook his head slowly. The tension in the air was growing. Rogue felt her anger rising quickly and when she looked to the adults, they could tell. Her eyes quickly darted to the spike throwing nephew of Ororo's. _Come on, I'll even go with Evan!_ She thought in dismay.

"Evan?" Evan gave her a guilty shrug and Rogue felt her anger bubbled over. She suddenly slammed her fists on the table, making Kurt jump.

"What's yer excuse then?" She hissed at Evan. He stood up from his seat, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Sorry Rogue. I'm just not into the same movies you are," Evan said, raising his hands defensively. Rogue bit her lower lip, trying to control the urge to punch someone. She stood up suddenly and without another word, stormed from the dinning room. As she stopped by the stairs to pick up her backpack and coat, she frowned, feeling a bit guilty about her childish actions back there. She sighed slowly and slowly made her way up the stairs. She couldn't help but feel that maybe the others were treating her just a little oddly with the recent explosion of her power. When Xavier had to help her wipe out all of the absorbed qualities of those she had touched, she had become weak in body and mind. She just couldn't help but think that maybe the others were treating her differently because of it.

Walking into her room, she threw her items aside and went to her bed, collapsing on the comforter, burying her head into the pillow. _Stupid…stupid…all of 'em…_she thought. She frowned as she resurfaced from the pillow and looked off into the darkness of her room. _Well screw 'em then…I'll go by myself tomorrow…_She thought to herself, absently reaching up to grab the pendant around her neck. She held onto it tightly, thinking about today's odd occurrence in the store with that woman. _Heyoka…what a weird person…but she was nice I guess…Maybe I'll go see her tomorrow…_

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**Author's Notes: **Well, there ya have it. A very long first chapter. Forgive me for my crappy knowledge of accents and timeline events. I'm not really writing this to better my skills, simply only to write.


	2. I Don't Want Them

**Disclaimer**: All characters belong to Marvel.

**Forehand: **Thanks for the reviews and suggestions. This chapter is a little smaller (and a little more broken up). I tried to break up my large paragraphs for easier reading. Once again, please consider the fact that I'll be moving in the next couple of days, so please have patience with me. Thank you! Also, there is some slight language.

* * *

The next morning droned on like any normal day. Rogue was awakened to something probably expensive being broken in the hall outside her door accompanied by guilty giggles. The new recruits were up and moving. Rogue listened as their rampant footsteps echoed down the hall before she opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and slowly sat up, reaching up to rub the sleep from her eyes. After battling with her eyelids to stay open a few times, she groggily tossed the blankets aside and swung her feet out of bed. Making her way to the window, she tossed aside a curtain to let in some light. She could now here Mr. McCoy's deep voice reprimanding whoever knocked down whatever was in the hall. This only added to the usual morning montage in the Xavier Institute.

Ambling over to her mirror, she raised her tired eyes to the reflective glass. _Man…I look ghostly…_Rogue thought to herself, reaching up to rub a pale cheek. Sighing, her pendant suddenly fell from the frayed edges of her night tee, now hanging elegantly from her neck. Rogue looked down to the necklace, and then looked at herself in the mirror. Seeing this piece of gold hang from her neck, shimmering with so little light, brought a smile to her lips. _Heyoka was right…I really do like this necklace…_Rogue's eyes were drawn to the necklace, looking deep into those emerald eyes. This pendant shaped so precariously like…_What did Mr. McCoy say again? A coyote? But why a coyote? What's so darn special about a coyote?_ Rogue reached up absentmindedly and began to trace the small designs on the pendant, still staring at it.

Had Scott not knocked on the door and called her name, Rogue might've just stood there and stared at the pendant all day. Blinking, she shook her head. She took a few steps from the mirror, frowning. _What the heck…_

"…Rogue?" She blinked. That was Scott's voice, but it sounded so distant. She reached up to her ears, and clasped her hands over them for a second, then released them. Nothing seemed different.

"Are you up Rogue?" She frowned and dropped her arms again. _What the heck is going on…_

"Rogue! I'll get Kitty to come wake you up if you don't answer me!" Rogue hissed under her breath and stormed to the door, still in her night tee. The minute her hand reached the doorknob, she wrenched the door open so quickly, it made Scott jump slightly. She glared up at him, her free hand on her hip.

"Yeah, ah'm up! Lay off me, would'ya?" Scott gave her a nervous smile, holding his hands up defensively.

"Hey, hey! I just had to make sure you were up. Besides, I bring a peace offering. I thought about you wanting to see that movie tonight and I talked it over with Jean. She said we could all three go see the movie, what do you think?" He asked. She stared at him for a moment, and then gave him a sarcastic smirk.

"Yeah? And be the third wheel? Ya' right. Ah'd rather deal with Logan's training sessions than to sit between you two lovebirds," she said. Scott blinked and looked at her incredulously. He couldn't believe she just said that.

"But Rogue, you wouldn't be the third wheel…we'd be going-,"

"What? As friends? Pff! Ya' right. Friends don't take friends out for pity parties. Now if you'll excuse me, ah've got to get ready," she said. Slamming the door, she turned around, her back against the cold wood. She could hear Scott still lingering, muttering something under his breath. Shortly after, he left. She took a breath and pushed herself from the door; she only had a few minutes until everyone left for school.

School went by in a haze of emotions and plans for tonight. Rogue had ultimately decided she would be going to see the movie by herself. After all, what was the worst that could happen? The cold that was still gripping Bayville was still forcing people to cover up, so Rogue didn't think she would have an issue in the movie theaters. Not to mention one of the popular kids was holding a party, so half the teen populace would be gone. As she sat in class, numbly going through the routines of the day, she still couldn't get the thought of Heyoka and her odd store out of her head. Not to mention the events of that night. She was still sore over everyone and their lame excuses not to go with her. It really hurt her (though she would never admit it) and despite Scott's invitation this morning, she couldn't help but feel contempt for everyone.

"Whatever…Ah'll just go by mahself," she would mutter to herself.

_Briing!_ The final bell of the last day of the week always sounded like gold to the students. As they poured out of Bayville High, pulling on their jackets and hoodies, Rogue ambled down the steps into the school courtyard as if nothing had happened. When she spotted Kitty, Kurt, and Evan waiting for her at the end of the stairs, she even gave them a half hearted smile.

"Hey guys," she greeted. Kitty smiled and lunged for Rogue, linking their arms together at the elbow.

"Nice to see you like, smiling, ya know?" Kitty tittered. Rogue rolled her eyes slightly as the four of them began to make their way towards the parking lot where Scott and Jean would be waiting for them.

"So, Rogue…I figured if we get back from the movie early enough, I can go with you. I don't need that much time on my paper. Thankfully, the teacher vas kind enough to knock off a couple of chapters. Vat do you say?" Rogue turned her head to her blue haired companion and shrugged.

"Nah. Ah decided I ain't going," she replied. The four of them stopped with Kitty and Kurt looking at her in confusion.

"But, like, you totally wanted to see it last night," Kitty said, as if trying to reassure herself. Rogue looked off to the distance, avoiding their prying eyes.

"Yeah, well I decided I ain't going, alright?" Evan folded his arms as Kurt reached up to itch the back of his head in confusion. Kitty removed her arm from Rogue's and clasped her hands together.

"Well, like…okay I guess…" Rogue glanced at them for only a moment, and then she sighed and began walking towards the parking lot, leaving the other three to look at each other in confusion. As they approached the parking lot, they could see Jean and Scott already in Scott's sport's car, waiting. Rogue watched as Kurt, Kitty, and Evan took their places and buckled up.

"So uh…you gonna ride with us today, Rogue?" Scott asked, looking up at her from behind his glasses. Rogue shook her head and folded her arms over her chest.

"Nah. Ah'm gonna go back to that store to uh…look at more…necklaces," she muttered, hoping that they would buy the fib. Rogue refused to look at Jean. If anyone could tell you were lying, it was her. Jean reached over and put a hand gently on Scott's shoulder, smiling back at Rogue.

"Well, that's okay. Ororo said it would rain later this afternoon though, so if you need a ride-,"

"Yeah, yeah, ah'll let you know," Rogue finished. Jean stared at her for a couple of minutes, and then turned to Scott.

"Alright, we better get going." Without another word exchanged, Scott revved up the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. Rogue stood there as she watched them disappear, waiting until she could no longer hear the car's engine before taking off in the opposite direction.

So maybe Rogue's assumption of no one being out with a major party going on was a bad one. Stuck in line, an angry frown on her face, and surrounded by obnoxious people; Rogue began to think this was a bad idea. But she was so close to seeing this movie, she couldn't back out now. With her arms tucked tightly over her chest, her jacket zipped up and her collar high; Rogue stared down anyone who would try to come close to her, keeping a protective stance. So far, it worked. She was fifth in line to get her movie ticket punched and let into the premiere movie. More people than she thought wanted to see this movie.

"Next!"

The line moved monotonously slow. She inched closer and closer.

"Next, next, next!" And finally, with a hole punched into her movie ticket from a kid who probably spent his entire life in front of a computer, Rogue was free. She quickly made her way down the hall and into the theater. Finally, Rogue would be able to see this movie, and all without having to need a buddy. As long as everything went well this evening, she might even be able to convince Professor X and the other adults that letting them go out on their own wouldn't be such a bad idea. Picking a seat next to the aisle where she would have less chance of being touched, she sat and folded her arms protectively again. Even if everyone else were wearing jackets, she still didn't trust herself.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"How do you feel, my dearest Lilith?" _His_ voice was so gentle and loving now. The woman looked up into _His _eyes, those gentle silver eyes that glittered with love for her. She smiled, her lips so perfectly painted with the reddest of red lipstick. She slowly sat up and looked over herself. She had been dressed in a lovely emerald dress, replacing the old tattered ball gown he had carried her in with. She felt so gorgeous, her gentle fingers tracing over her new clothes. Her lovely locks were done up and curled tightly above her head like a crown. A heavy pearl necklace hung from her slender neck. Suddenly, her pallid fingers stopped, the very tips of her fingers tracing what felt to be two small holes. She looked to _Him_ and he smiled, _H_is own lips painted in black.

"Yes, my love. You are now a vampire and you will be my queen. Together, we will rule this city and destroy those who oppose us…" _H_e whispered in an alluring voice. The woman looked at _H_im for a moment, and then smiled seductively. She reached up, caressing _H_is face lovingly.

"Yes, my beloved lord. I will do everything you ask of me…" _He_ smiled and nodded, and with a dramatic flutter of his cape, disappeared. The woman sat there for a moment longer before looking up, a large marble statue of an angel glaring down at her. Her face fell and tears began to develop in her eyes.

"Oh Lord, why have you forsaken me? Why did you let him take me?" Her yell turned into shallow sobs, putting her face in her hands.

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Rogue watched, her own chest aching in pain for the girl who had been taken forcefully from her home and stripped of her humanity. Rogue swallowed, watching intently. The movie was turning out to be surprisingly good. She had lost her awareness of time and the people around her, totally sucked in by the story of this poor girl. It was as if nothing else mattered but what was going on in front of her on the screen. Of course, something this good was bound to be destroyed eventually, and while Rogue wouldn't have wanted something to happen, it wasn't a surprise when her attention was snatched away by the idiots behind her. There was a couple behind her that had been arguing the entire movie, but quietly enough where Rogue could ignore them. However, they had been getting progressively louder until they were talking with a normal tone, no longer caring about the others around them. Rogue rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder nonchalantly.

"Listen! I don't care what you have to say!"

"Come on, Melissa! What are you so peeved about?"

"You totally went out with her, David! Come on!"

"You have no proof!"

Rogue sighed and faced the movie again. _Stupid lover's quarrel…why don't they just take it outside?_ She thought, getting irritated. She struggled to get back into the movie, but their voices were rising louder and people were beginning to complain.

"What about what Marie said? You can't deny that!"

"Your friend is a stupid nerd, what do you care?"

"What! Don't say that about Marie!"

"Well? She is!"

Rogue could hear the telltale signs of someone getting up, figuring it was all over.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

"David, let me go!"

"No!"

Rogue had had enough, standing up and turning around, she glared at the tall teen behind her and his girlfriend.

"Hey! Ya wanna keep it down, please? The rest of us wanna finish the movie!" Rogue hissed. The man, David, only glared at her.

"Hey Goth-chick, stay outta our business!" Rogue growled, but figured it would be smarter not to get involved. But before she could sit back down, someone was shoved into her, knocking her forward slightly. Whipping around, she could see David trying to hold back Melissa. With a shove, he shoved the woman back in her seat. Raising his fist, he aimed at his girlfriend and swung. Like a snake, Rogue grasped his wrist. David gasped, looking at Rogue in anger.

"What the hell! Get your hands off me, bitch!" Rogue growled and pulled him closer, shoving her face into his.

"Listen, ya yahoo! You don't ever hit girls!" David growled and yanked his hand out of Rogue's grasp. He looked slightly shaken; after all, Rogue was stronger than your average man. She wasn't even using her powers either, it had just Logan's constant defense and strength conditioning sessions that had improved her natural strength. For a moment, everyone stared at them, but with the growing silence, they seemed to turn back to the movie. Then, without warning, there was a scream in the audience, but Rogue had no time to react. A bare hand closed around the only place she was vulnerable: at the base of her neck, where her hairline was. Immediately, Rogue screamed as she felt David's very essence; his life energy, his memories, his everything, flow right into Rogue.

"Oh my God!" Rogue heard someone scream, but she couldn't tell who had said it. David's hand released Rogue and she stumbled forward, knocking her shins against the seat in front of her, knocking her to the side and into the aisle, where she collapsed. Immediately, the whole theater exploded into chaos. Screams and cries filled her ears as people began to panic. People began to flee out of the theater, running for all exits. But there were so many people; others were being knocked down, trampled underfoot, and slammed into walls. People were leaping over chairs, women and children being pushed about, all while names and screams echoed in the building.

"Mutant!"

"Freak!"

"Oh my God, she killed him!" Rogue slowly opened her eyes, her head pounded with the nose. Blinking, she could see Melissa standing over David's body which was strewn over his seat, his eyes rolled up into their sockets, his mouth open. Several other people were standing over him, trying to wake him. Rogue felt a sinking feeling in her gut. _No…I didn't…I didn't…_Slowly; she began to push herself to her feet, those standing around David staring at her with a mix of hatred and fear. Melissa suddenly lunged for Rogue, but was caught by two guys, her face streaming with tears.

"What did you do to him!? Why did you kill him!?" She screamed. Rogue shook her head slowly, disbelief filling her.

"No…Ah didn't kill him…"

"Freak! Why did you do this!?" Melissa continued to scream. Rogue stared at David in horror. His memories suddenly started pounding her. She winced, grabbing her head. _Oh God…_Images of David's life began flowing through her mind. Images of his beloved family, his adored little brother, and Melissa; whom he was so devoted to; they all yanked on Rogue's heart. She had no idea how long they had been connected, but by clarity of his memories…Rogue shook her head, feeling herself reel in panic.

"No…not again!"

"We gotta get him to the hospital! Quick!" Rogue watched as they struggled to lift David's body. She watched with guilt and sadness in her heart. There was no way he would recover from that. The best they could hope for was for a coma that he could recover from. She shook her head once more.

"Ah'm sorry…" she whispered, before suddenly turning and bolting for one of the exits to the back of the building.

Tears poured down her face as she stumbled through the dirty alley behind the movie theater, trying to avoid the main street at all cost. In her haze of emotion and terror, she could hear the far off sirens of an ambulance. The whole media cinemas building had been emptied, the crowd growing in the street in front of it. The dark alley way was the only safe place.

Rogue leaned against the cold, dirty wall as tears streaked her face, her chest racked with guilty sobs.

"No…" She couldn't help the guilt and terror she felt in her heart. She was only trying to help and in the end, she did more harm than good.

"Why does this always happen!" She screamed. Turning her face towards the sky, she cried for what seemed like forever. In the background, the ambulances were being loaded and leaving while everyone else were quickly jumping in their cars and leaving. It took a good hour before everything had quieted down and Rogue was left completely alone in the back alley, now sitting on the ground with her arms wrapped around her knees. It was freezing outside, but she didn't want to move. Not yet. The realization that once again, she had lost against the battle to be normal was taking a toll on her. She had wanted nothing more than to just be left alone and watch the movie. And when the trouble started, she had only wanted to help. But unless it's a mutant or bad guy, Rogue was only more of a hindrance than help. She struggled to control her emotions, trying to regain composure. She knew Professor X would find out about this and she knew she would be in trouble. Not only had she ignored a rule, but she had not taken the necessary precautions to fully cover up and when it came to a nasty situation, it had gotten out of hand. She didn't want to go back, not right yet. But shivering in this dirty alleyway wasn't going to be any better. Standing up, she began to make her way to the main street. It was late and everyone had left the front of the theater now. As she emerged, she took a quick glance around, just make sure. Only a few late night walkers were on the street, but otherwise, it was clear. Shops were closing and everyone were either home or on their way. She took one last glance at the theater and began to make her way up the street. She didn't care just where she was going, as long as she was walking. _Why does this always happen to me? Why does this always have to happen when I finally find something I can do normally? It's not fair…it's not fair!_ One of David's memories of his little brother flittered through her mind. She looked off to the side in guilty pain. He was a good guy after all. _No! No he's not! He tried to hit her! _Rogue thought. But the image of him teaching his little brother to ride a bike was only causing her to second think her intentions. Sighing, she continued to walk up the street absentmindedly.

Stopping, she glanced up at the window she had paused in front of. Not really sure why she stopped, she frowned. For a moment, she felt like she knew this place. Facing the window, she stared at its dark and empty interior. It did look oddly familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She sighed and turned her attention to the figure staring back at her. Rogue stared at her reflection in the glass, examining the dried tear path down her cheeks. That's when she noticed a golden glimmer. Blinking, she reached into her jacket and pulled the coyote pendant free, staring at it. _Heyoka…maybe…_Suddenly, something dawned on her. Immediately, her body went numb with cold as her mouth dropped open. The empty store window she had been staring at belonged to one person and one person only. Only, this time, there was nothing in the window. Rogue blinked and placed her hands on the large window and peered into the empty store front.

"Wha…what's going on?" She took a few steps back, seeing if she could make out the golden lettering of Caninex; the store's peculiar name. But nothing was on the window except for a few pieces of tape and spider webs. There was nothing in the store and nothing on the outside. It was completely empty and it looked as if it had been empty for a long time. Rogue shook her head, her confusion mixing with fear. She wasn't quite sure why this bothered her so much, but it did. She went to the window again and peered inside, hoping that she had the wrong store. But a quick look inside and a quick look outside made her realize her own fears.

"But this _was_ the store I went to last night! I know it!" She said, trying to reassure herself she didn't make any of this up. One of her hands raced to her necklace, making sure it was still there and not a fragment of her imagination. But the cold gold pendant was still there. She held it in her hand as she stared at the empty store front in frustrated confusion.

"No way…" She could still smell the earthly incense that had enveloped the whole store; she could still hear Heyoka's peculiar accent and feel of the drum beats of her music. Rogue didn't understand what was going on. Blinking, she turned around just as an old man ambled by her, minding his own business.

"Ah, uh…excuse me, sir?" The old man stopped and turned to her.

"Yes?"

"Sir, do you remember a store being here?" Rogue asked, pointing to the empty window. The old man squinted at the store front for a moment, and then slowly shook his head.

"Nah, young lady. That there store has been closed for a very long time. No body has moved in there since the old owner died back in the early 80's," he muttered. Rogue frowned, shaking her head.

"No! I bought a necklace here yesterday!" The old man raised a brow, his old wrinkled face looking at her carefully.

"Sorry, lass. But I've lived here in Bayville for a long time and I tell you no one has bought that store," he repeated. Rogue paused, and then looked down at her pendant.

"Well…how do you explain this necklace then?" She asked, more to herself. The old man shrugged and began walking off.

"I suggest you get back home, young lady. Its going to rain," he said as he walked off. Rogue stood there, her face a mix of confusion and uncertainty.

_Plip_

_Plip_

_Plip_

Rogue sighed as the clouds slowly ripped open, unleashing a cold and frigid rain.

When Rogue finally reached the Xavier Institute, she was completely drenched from the unrelenting rain and frozen to the core. There were only a few minutes before curfew, but she could tell that dinner had long since been served and most of the students were in their rooms. As she crossed the courtyard and walked up the steps, she could tell someone was waiting for her outside.

"You've been gone for a long time there, sis," came Kurt's voice. She felt a tinge of guilt. _How long has he been waiting for me outside?_ She said nothing as she approached him. He stared at her with his golden yellow eyes, but said nothing as she completely ignored him and walked into the foyer. Kurt followed her in and allowed the large doors behind him to shut before he followed her any further.

"Um…the Professor said there vas…an incident? You used your power? Are you alright?" Kurt asked delicately. Rogue stopped, her hands clenching into fists, the water seeping through her fingers and onto the floor. Kurt looked at her for a moment, and then lowered his head. He knew he had stepped beyond some unknown emotional barrier Rogue had set up. She whirled around to him, water spilling all over the floor.

"No, no I'm not! I'm not okay! Ah put someone into a coma tonight, Kurt!" Kurt blinked and looked up at her with shock on his face.

"Vat happened?!" She looked at him and cringed. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to express how she felt and have him tell her it wasn't her fault. But the words were trapped behind her lips. She sighed and looked down at the wet floor. Kurt carefully came up beside her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Rogue…you can tell me. Vat ever happened I'm sure you didn't mean it…" Whipping around, she smacked his hand away and glared at him.

"Don't touch me! You know, if you had just said 'yes' in the first place, then nothing would've happened! But no! No one around here cares what ah do," she yelled. Kurt took a step back as a flicker of hurt crossed his blue face, his tail hanging low like a dog whose been reprimanded. He opened his mouth to respond, but the tears that began flowing from her eyes again made him stop. She looked at him. If anyone was to understand about the isolation and pain she felt, it was him. With his hunched frame, blue fur and tail; Kurt probably received the most ridicule as a mutant aside from Mr. McCoy. But there was still that previous anger towards him that stopped her from thinking clearly.

"Rogue…I tried-,"

"I hate being a mutant Kurt…I hate these powers…I hate them…" Rogue muttered her voice barely above a whisper. Kurt sighed, not knowing what to say about that. Rogue's sobs echoed in the open foyer, barely blocking out the driving wind that had kicked up.

"Maybe I should go get the Professor-,"

"No! No!" Rogue yelled. Without warning, she turned and ran up the main stairs, her sobs following her, leaving Kurt there to feel guilty and confused.

In her dark room, Rogue collapsed on her bed, ignoring the sopping wet jacket that was now soaking her bed. She cried hard into the pillow, her head aching with each racking sob.

"Ah wish ah never had these powers! Ah wish ah was never a mutant!" Rogue couldn't help the overwhelming surge of emotion that poured from her. The stress of everything over the pass months had built up and just seem to explode in her face. She lay there for a few long minutes before her sobs finally faded. The wind outside seemed to shake the very windows as they pounded the institute along with the rain.

"_You see, dis pendant is said to give its wearer good luck, especially in troubled times." _Rogue frowned slightly and turned over in her bed, grasping the pendant. She remembered Heyoka telling her about the pendant. Rogue had never really been superstitious, but the thought that maybe perhaps, with the mysterious circumstances, something would happen. She held onto the pendant tightly and closed her eyes, thinking of all of the things that had happened in her life to make her miserable.

"Ah wish ah didn't have these powers…ah wish ah didn't have these powers… ah wish ah didn't have these powers…" Rogue repeated this phrase, over and over again, until her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted off to sleep.


	3. To Touch

**Disclaimer: **I do not own X-Men Evolution Characters. They are the rightful property of Marvel.

**Forehand: **Once again, thanks for all of the wonderful reviews and those of you who continue to read. I've been incredibly busy settling in to my new living arrangements, so please forgive my slowness. Unfortunately, it might get worse with school starting next week. But I will work very hard at uploading more chapters for her. As you can see, this chapter is pretty short. I have trouble pacing things, so please forgive its choppy time line. Next chapter should be very exciting!

* * *

Waking up after a night of crying always does horrible things to your body, but it seems to work wonders on your mind. With all of her frustrations cried out and anger quelled, Rogue awoke to a light hearted mood. She sat up, noticing how bright it was outside already. _How long have I been asleep? What time is it?_ Rogue raised reached up and rubbed her eyes. While her eyelids were puffy, a sure sign of falling asleep crying, they weren't as bad as she feared. Looking around her, she noticed she had fallen asleep in her day clothes.

"Tch," standing up, she began to strip off the dirty clothes. But as she got to her last outer layer, she noticed something was different about her room. Pausing, she looked around. What Rogue saw made her jaw drop. Someone had messed with her stuff! Rushing over to her dresser, she flung the drawers open and gasped.

"What the…" Plucking a bright red and orange girl tee from the drawer, Rogue stared at it in shock. She then pulled another shirt; it was lime green with a sequenced cross on the front. A shiver of disgust shot up her back and she threw the shirts back in the drawers and opened another. What was in this drawer was even more horrifying. She slowly reached in and carefully pulled out what appeared to be a long, ankle-length soft pink skirt. Rogue could only stare numbly at what had been placed in her drawer. _What the hell? Did Kitty…? No, Kitty has more sense than to do something like this…maybe Kurt as a prank? But who would even wear something like this? _Rogue couldn't take it any longer. Cramming the skirt back into the drawer, she whirled around to the desk that was offered to all students. There, to her horror, was a makeup kit that contained nothing but bright colors. Rogue walked over to the desk and shook her head slightly.

"Okay, something is seriously wrong here," she muttered. Upon examination of the desk, she could see perfumes, jewelry, hair accessories that Rogue had never seen before and hygiene products that she had never imagined anyone would use. Picking up a bottle, she held it up to the small amount of light shinning through the curtains and read the label.

"Jojoba and cocoanut facial scrub?" The only thing that kept Rogue from thinking this was Kitty's room was one thing: there were Native American items that decorated the entire room. Rogue took a step back and cast a quick glance around the room. Now she was definitely sure. She was no longer in her room. _But…this was my room! I came directly in here last night!_ Rogue shook her head and ran for the door, wrenching it open. She looked up and down the hall; it was still the same Xavier Institute. All of the newly rebuilt halls and rooms were exactly as they were when she fell asleep last night, save for a few small changes. But the younger X-teens were always moving stuff around and changing things as pranks. Turning back to the room, she ran to the window and pulled open the heavy maroon curtains. Looking down at the Institute grounds, she was relieved to find everything the same. _But I don't understand…__**this is my room**__…_Rogue thought to herself, feeling frustration and panic building. Sighing, she glanced down at the wrist watch and blinked.

"Everyone should be either outside or in one ah Logan's training sessions…" She muttered to herself. Turning, she walked to the door and was about to open it when she heard voices and footsteps coming up the hall.

"Like, Logan just totally doesn't understand. A girl _needs_ to accessorize, you know? It like, completes us." Rogue immediately recognized that voice as Kitty's.

"I know, right? And if anyone's hair gets stuck in my bracelets, then its their fault for being to close, right?" This one, however, Rogue did not recognize.

"Like totally!" Rogue frowned as the door knob to the room turned, pressing herself up against the wall behind the door, she watched as two girls came into the room, one being Kitty and the other was an African girl Rogue had never seen before. _Did the Professor accept ah new recruit last night?_ The two girls giggled and tittered their way to the desk where the African girl placed four large golden bracelets on the wooden surface. As she took the time out to check herself in the mirror, Kitty turned to the dresser, frowning. They were wearing their uniforms, so they must've been excused from Logan's training session. Now they were just biding their time.

"Hey Mai, like, your dresser is totally a mess." The young African girl, Mai, whirled around and looked at her dresser.

"What the heck?" Mai stood about the same height as Kitty, but wasn't stick skinny. She was a full figured girl with a crop of bright blonde hair that was highlighted that was cut short and choppy. From where Rogue was, she couldn't quite see the girl's eye color, but Rogue was sure she had never seen this girl before. As the two girls pondered over the messy estate of the drawer, Rogue frowned and pushed herself from the wall. Rogue barely had enough time to spit out Kitty's name when both girls spotted her, pushing themselves away from the drawer in a panic.

"Who are you!?"

"How did you get in my room!?"

Rogue stopped and put her hands on her hips, tilting her head sideways a little, putting a disgusted look on her face.

"Excuse me? This is mah room!" Rogue hissed. For a few seconds, the girls huddled together. Then Mai frowned, shaking her head.

"You're crazy chick. This is my room. How did you get in here?" Rogue frowned and shook her head, turning her attention to Kitty, expecting the girl to snap out of her surprise and recognize Rogue. But she never did.

"Like, what are you staring at me for?" Rogue put a hand against her chest, flinging the other out.

"Kitty! Stop acting stupid! You know me!" Rogue growled. But Kitty only shook her head. Rogue blinked, then took a step forward, both girls cowering slightly.

"Are you playing a prank on me? This is stupid! Knock it off, Kitty!" But once again, Kitty looked at her as if she had never seen Rogue in her life. Mai frowned and stepped in front of Kitty protectively.

"Hey, back off! She said she doesn't know you and neither do I!" Whoever this chick was, Rogue already hated her. Rogue took a threatening step forward, her hands clenching into fists.

"Hey, listen here, blonde! This is mah room and that's mah friend!" At this, Kitty's look went from worried to down right frightened. She reached out and grabbed Mai's arm.

"I don't know who she is! I've never seen her before!" Kitty said anxiously. Mai glanced over her shoulder.

"Don't worry Kitty," she said reassuringly. Rogue had had enough. Lunging forward, she caught Mai off balance and knocked her to the floor, leaving Kitty wide open. Grabbing Kitty her by uniform, she pulled the frightened girl closer to her.

"Kitty Pryde! Now you better listen to me! Ah know you know me! Ah'm done with whatever game yer all pulling!" Rogue growled into Kitty's face. Kitty could only stare at her with horror, her blue eyes wide with fear. Rogue frowned, knowing she was scaring her. But before she could release the girl, Kitty phased right out of her hands and through the floor without warning. Rogue blinked and growled, turning her attention to Mai, who was standing up and in a fighting stance. Rogue rolled her eyes and held a hand up dismissively.

"Ah'm done with you. When Kitty returns with someone, I'll prove to you yer in the wrong-," but Rogue never got to finish her sentence. Without warning, two huge snakes shot forth from Mai and slammed into Rogue, knocking her against the foot board of the bed. Rogue winced, but was quick to get to her feet as Mai sent the snakes at Rogue again. This time, Rogue was prepared as she dove to the side to avoid them. Looking back at Mai, Rogue noticed that these two snakes were actually attached to Mai and by her arms. The snakes _were_ her arms. Rogue frowned, preparing for another attack. This time, as Mai swung her snake arms at Rogue, Rogue was able deflect one, and dodge the other, creating an open attack spot at Mai's side. Rogue rolled up her sleeves and aimed to touch Mai's face. But the dark skinned girl was prepared. Without warning, a massive explosion of feathers slammed into Rogue, knocking her back and against Mai's desk, breaking it. Perfume and accessories rained down upon Rogue as she struggled to get back to her feet.

"Are you even a mutant?" Mai asked, walking over to Rogue, a pair of huge eagle wings coming from her back. Rogue frowned, coughing as blush and eye shadow infested the air.

"O'course *cough* ah'm a *cough* mutant!" Rogue sputtered. Mai looked down at her with disbelief on her face, lowering her arms slightly. That's all Rogue needed. With a sweeping kick, Rogue knocked Mai's legs out from under her. Leaping to her feet, Rogue reached down with both hands and was mere inches from grabbing the girl's face when Rogue heard a loud _bamf_ and was knocked off her feet. Knowing all too well the culprit for this, she immediately decided to keep her hands in check. Landing on her back, Rogue opened her eyes to see exactly who she figured.

"Kurt, get off of me!" She hissed. But instead of obeying sheepishly like normal, he only growled at her, glaring down at her with his golden yellow eyes. _He…he actually growled at me!? What the hell is going on!?_ Rogue frowned, laying there with her arms spread.

"You got a hear'n problem, fuzz ball? Ah said get off me!" She yelled. But he only looked at her with even more spite, still towering over her.

"Who are you and vhy are you in Spirit's room?" He questioned, his tail whipping back and forth dangerously like an anxious cat.

"Spirit?" Rogue repeated.

"Yeah, that's my codename," Mai said, walking over to Rogue. She put a hand on Kurt's slender shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks for your help, Nightcrawler." Kurt looked at her and winked.

"No problem. Now ve gotta decide vat to do with her," Kurt muttered, looking back at Rogue. _All right, enough of this!_ Rogue thought. _I'm tired of this lame ass joke_. With a quick motion, she managed to grab Kurt behind the knee and pull him forward, making him fall to his knees. With him trying to keep himself from falling on top of her, she had full access to his face. Reaching up, she winced.

"Ah'm sorry Kurt, but you leave me no choice," she muttered and grabbed his face. What happened next would stay with her for a very long time.

Preparing for the intense wave of energy and images to slam her senses, Rogue winced, tensing her whole body. She would absorb Kurt's ability to teleport once again and probably see the same memories that had brought them so close together in the first place. She would only hold onto him long enough to either knock him out, if not disorient him at least. But…the feeling never came. Instead, all she could feel was his fur. She froze, her hands on either side of his face. She stared into his slender face, shock and awe on her own. Total shock enveloped her whole body, keeping her hands firmly placed on his face. It was unreal; she felt as if she let go of him now, somehow her powers would suddenly return and suck away at his life force like normal. She moved her fingers slightly, feeling the soft and slender hairs on his face move under her finger tips. The last time she had touched this face, she was trying to run away from people she thought would hurt her and knocked him out. Not even when they found out they were siblings had she been able to touch him. Not even when he found out he was Mystique's son and she comforted him.

Suddenly, two tremendous arms yanked Rogue out from underneath Nightcrawler, her fingers feeling suddenly very cold. She gasped and looked up into the fearsome face of Logan. He growled down at her, snorting in irritation. Rogue felt very afraid all of the sudden. She hadn't been able to touch Nightcrawler, but what about Logan. Reaching up, she tapped the back of his arm. Nothing. She tapped him again, bare skin against bare skin. Nothing. She could feel panic rising. _What's going on!?_ As Logan lifted her to her feet and held her arms behind her back, Rogue watched as Professor Xavier entered the room. A wave of relief flowed over Rogue. If anyone, the Professor would be able to explain what was going on.

"Oh, Professor! Its ah good thing yer here! Tell everyone to stop with this stupid joke!" Rogue said, looking at him with pleading eyes. The Professor paused for a moment, his fingers intertwined and resting in his lap calmly as he looked at everyone in the room, then slowly back to Rogue. Behind him, Ororo showed up, and right behind her was Mr. McCoy and what appeared to be the rest of the student body, all trying to shove their way through to see what the commotion was about. However, only Kitty, with her phasing power, could pass through the wall. She walked up to the Professor carefully.

"She's the one! She like, totally appeared out of no where!" Mai, who had returned to normal, walked over with Kurt, completing the circle of humiliation with Rogue in the middle. She looked at everyone for a moment.

"What are ya all star'n at? Its me! Rogue!" But by the questionable look on everyone's face, Rogue was really beginning to think they had all been struck dumb. The Professor cleared his throat, then nodded at Logan.

"Its alright, Logan. Release her. I don't think she wants to cause anyone harm…" Wolverine growled slightly and released Rogue. She frowned and rubbed her arms, trying to regain the lost blood from Wolverine's iron grip. She stood there, now completely encircled.

"Tell me, what's your name?" Professor Xavier asked. Rogue stared at him, then threw open her arms.

"Come on, Professor! You know what mah name is! Why are you all doing this to me!" Rogue asked, her voice breaking slightly. The Professor shook his head slightly, his eyes truly apologetic.

"I'm sorry, but we really don't know who you are. Do you know where you are?" Rogue could feel her heart beginning to race.

"Ah…yeah, Xavier's Institute for the…for mutants…or whatever," she replied weakly. The Professor nodded, smiling gently.

"That's right. How did you come to be in Spirit's room?" At the mention of her name, Mai put on a cocky smirk and crossed her hands over her chest. Rogue looked around slowly, wrapping one hand around her stomach, the other hanging at her side.

"Ah…Ah woke up in the bed…" She said, nodding towards the bed. The Professor stared at her for a moment, but Rogue knew what he was doing. By that concentrated look in his eyes, she could tell he was probing her mind to see if her answer was true. The Professor lifted his head slightly.

"Charles?" Ororo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The girl is telling the truth. It appears…she just…randomly appeared in Mai's bed…" He said, his voice sounding perplexed. Behind her, Rogue could hear Logan sniffing her.

"I dunno Charles. She smells like an alley," Wolverine growled. Ororo looked to Rogue.

"Are you perhaps a run away?" She asked gently. Rogue looked at her. That was it. They truly didn't know who she was. She began to feel sick to her stomach. _First, my powers start acting all weird…and now…this…what's going on?_ Rogue put a hand on her head as the voices around her began to mix and meld. The Professor and Ororo were still asking her questions, but Rogue didn't feel like answering them anymore. She felt numb and dizzy. Some of the students were talking back and forth between each other, comments of 'insane' 'homeless' and 'run away' swirling around Rogue. Maybe this was just a nightmare; a horrible painful nightmare that she would eventually wake up from. A horrible nightmare that...she felt her consciousness fade as her body fell towards the floor. The last thing she could remember was Logan and Kurt catching her before she fell and Kurt's golden eyes staring at her.

When Rogue awoke, she found herself staring at some very familiar florescent lights. Wincing, she brought her arm up to block the bright light from her eyes. She closed her eyes against the painful spheres of light, slowly sitting up. She let out a groggy groan, putting both hands against her eyes.

"What a horrible nightmare…" She muttered to herself.

"Oh! You're awake! Well, that's good. You gave us a bit of a scare passing out like that…" Rogue dropped her hands and glanced to the side, Mr. McCoy walking up to her bedside. Rogue blinked, then frowned. _Aww, great, I'm in the infirmary…_Rogue thought to herself with distaste. She hated this room; every single time she was in here it was because either she was hurt or someone else was. The place always had the same antiseptic stench and the sterile cold that seemed to freeze everything in the room. She shivered slightly. Even in the warmth of the infirmary bed, the recollection of what happened last night came back to her with an icy realization: she had no powers.

"So, are you hungry, stranger?" Rogue blinked, her attention being drawn back to the large and furry mutant. She was about to open her mouth and reply, but Mr. McCoy held up a hand, stopping her.

"Professor Xavier said he'll speak to you later about that. Now, back to my earlier question," he said, looking at her with his gentle face. She had always had a soft spot for him. He was always so kind and so wise, much like Xavier was. She knew out of everyone, Mr. McCoy would never lie to her. She looked up at him with the saddest look in her eyes.

"Mr. McCoy…Ah know you don't lie to your students…please…are you positive you don't know me?" Even though she was afraid of the answer, the look that fell on his face would give her the realization that she feared. He looked at her apologetically.

"I'm really sorry, but in all honesty…I don't know who you are." Rogue stared at him, feeling her heart aching in her chest. She bit her lip and looked down to her lap, feeling a disparity fill her like never before.

"So…no one knows…who ah am…" She winced, reaching up as she placed her hands on her chest, feeling her heart thump loudly beneath her ribs. Mr. McCoy took in a deep breath, then rested a hand on her knee.

"Listen…why don't you get something to eat? You look like you could use a hot meal…" He said softly. For a moment, Rogue didn't respond. Then, after slowly nodding her head, she threw back the covers and stood. She was still in the clothes she had gone to school just yesterday. They still smelled of the alley way, but at least the wet coat she had woken up with was gone. Her black top and pants were dirty from the rain and muck, but she didn't care. Mr. McCoy opened the infirmary door for her and began to lead her out, but Rogue just held her hand up.

"Its okay…ah know mah way…" She muttered. Mr. McCoy stopped and let her continue on by herself. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the human girl. She seemed so convinced she knew them. Even if she knew everyone's names, he had never seen her before. But something about her seemed so natural to have around. He felt, as if in some way, what she was saying was true. Maybe they really did know her? But If Charles didn't know the girl and since she wasn't a mutant, there was no way she could've been in the school. As he watched her make her way perfectly to the elevator that would bring her up into the wooden walls of the institute, he couldn't help but hope in some way, Charles would let her stay.

As Rogue made her way to the upper, less conspicuous levels of the institute, she felt her thoughts slamming into each other in her head. Everything was so confusing and so mind numbingly incomprehensible. Stepping out of the elevator that would be quickly replaced by a automated bookshelf after she stepped out, she took a quick glance up and down the hall. It was empty and by the looks of the low light outside, it must have been close to dinner time. Even if Mr. McCoy invited her to share dinner with them, the dining hall was _not_ a place she wanted to end up; stuck sitting between people who didn't know her anymore. Sighing, she moved to the foyer where she took a seat on the cold marble stairs, her hands on her chins. That's when she noticed she still had one glove on, the other already missing. Frowning, she peeled it off slowly, now looking at her naked palms. She clenched and released her fists several times, then sighed.

"Do ah really have no more powers?" She asked herself.

"Did you even have powers in the first place?" Rogue felt herself jump at the voice. Leaping to her feet, she whirled around to see Nightcrawler standing right where she had been a minute ago. He stared at her, his gaze uneasy. She looked at him for a moment, then put a hand on her chest, trying to calm her rapid pulse.

"Ah, its only you Kurt…" At the mention of his name, he frowned.

"How do you know my name? How do you know anyone else' name around here?" He asked, his voice tense. She held up her hands defensively.

"Hey now…ah'm just as confused as you are," she said quickly. With a loud _bamf_, Kurt disappeared and reappeared behind her again. This time, she didn't move as he came up close behind her.

"You don't even smell like a mutant…" She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Ah know its really hard to comprehend this…but ah really do…or _used to_ live here with ya'll…" Waiting, she paused to let Kurt reply to this. But after a moment of silence, she turned around. He was just staring at her, his posture that of like a dog slowly allowing you to pet it.

"Back there…ven you touched my face…vat ver you trying to do?" He asked. She slowly brought her hands up, looking at them.

"Well…ah had…_used_ to have this power where by simply touching you…ah could absorb your powers and memories…" she said, facing her palms towards Kurt. At this, he took a few steps back, looking uneasy. A flash of pain went across her face as she shook her head.

"But…but you see…when ah touched you earlier…nothing happened! Its not…its not supposed to be like that…" She said. After a moment, Kurt took a step towards her and grabbed her around her upper arm suddenly. Rogue gasped and tried to pull back, but his grip was like iron. He looked at her with a serious look on his face.

"Ven you touched me…you seemed shocked…why?" She looked at him uneasily.

"Ah…ah…um…because…normally, if ah touched someone…ah'd absorb not only their powers and memories…but their life force as well…and…and it…"

"Vat?"

"It…can seriously hurt you…" She muttered. "Plus…" Kurt raised a brow.

"Plus vat?" She looked at him painfully.

"Ah…had always…wanted to…well-,"

"Kurt! What are you…oh!" Rogue turned her head quickly and frowned. _Tch! Its her…Spirit…or Mai, or whatever…_ Mai sauntered up to the two, frowning at Rogue as she did so. Kurt released Rogue and took a step back from her. Mai put her hands behind her back, tilting her head slightly.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything, but X says its time for dinner," she said, turning her attention directly to Kurt, ignoring Rogue. Kurt nodded and smiled.

"Alright, danke Mai." She paused with an expectant look on her face. Kurt turned back to Rogue.

"Are you hungry?" Rogue dropped her arms and looked to Kurt, sending a glare at Mai from the corner of her eye.

"Ah…yeah, ah guess ah am…" Kurt nodded and motioned for them to follow him. As Kurt walked into the dining hall, Mai turned towards Rogue, her hands on her round hips. Rogue lifted a brow and glared back at Mai.

"Listen, I dunno who you are or what you want, but if you try anything funny, I'll personally make sure you'll regret it for the rest of your life…" Mai hissed. Rogue couldn't help but let out a mocking chuckle. The girl was clearly trying to intimidate her, but to Rogue, her attempts were laughable. Rogue crossed her arms over her chest.

"Big words from such a little girl…" Rogue replied. Mai snorted in reply, raising her chin.

"And such strong words from a girl who has no powers…" Rogue growled at Mai's words. Throwing her arms to her sides, Rogue stomped up to Mai, getting in her face.

"Listen, miss sparkly! Ah am a mutant and ah live here!" Rogue growled. But Mai only chuckled and shook her head.

"You poor thing…it must suck to run away from home and have no place to go. Why, I bet you even-,"

"Mai, stop it. The girl is welcome here." Rogue and Mai both turned to see Xavier roll into the foyer, a gentle smile on his face. Rogue frowned and pointed at herself.

"This _girl_ has a name and its Rogue!" Xavier nodded and smiled.

"Alright Rogue. After some thought and research, I've decided to let you stay at the institute until we find out what's really happening here," he said. Rogue stared at him for a second, then nodded slowly.

"Alright…" Charles Xavier smiled brightly and nodded.

"Good! Let's eat then!"


End file.
